The Russian prime minister on Tuesday floated the idea of forming a
"Eurasion Union" of former Soviet states that he says would be similar
to the European Union.

Putin said the goal would be to "create real conditions to change the
geopolitical and geo-economic configuration of the entire continent and
have an undoubtedly positive global effect," according to the BBC.

Many of the nations Putin wants to see integrated already are heading
in that direction. Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan are ready to proceed
with an E.U.-like economic integration and are set to introduce unified
market rules and regulations at the start of 2012. Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan are also expected to join the grouping.

The Daily Mailis
quick to note that given this is Putin we’re talking about, his
proposal is sure to be seen by many as a bid to rebuild the Soviet
Union, a claim that Putin attempted to preemptively deflect.